


A Complicated Friendship

by AussieRat



Category: Fallen London | Echo Bazaar
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-22 21:58:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12491764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AussieRat/pseuds/AussieRat
Summary: Eveline has had a falling out with her friend, the Fading Music-Hall Singer... But she's fine, why would you think otherwise? Its not like they were REAL friends. She doesn't do friends. Or feelings. That stuff is for wimps. No she's not crying, she just has a cold, go away. She's totally FINE!





	A Complicated Friendship

Eveline was trying her absolute best to pretend to hold any interest in any of the people around her. This was usually something she excelled at as she would be more than happy to point out she was usually rather charming when it came to social events. However recently she hadn’t quite been feeling herself and had spent the past few weeks intermittently lounging around her home in a daze and going out on endeavours that most would consider either ‘heavily inadvisable’ or ‘potentially fatal’. She was not entirely sure as to what had begun this turn of mood, all she was sure of was that it had come about at around the same time as her falling out with her friend ‘the Fading Music Hall Singer’ so she supposed that she may have passed her some kind of illness, after all there had been some quite thorough exchanges that could have provided the opportunity. In the end actually getting her out of the house had taken her assistant picking for her the specific event she would attend and threatening to invite people directly to their home if she didn’t go, though given the lack of any apparent importance or interest held by any other attendee she was unsure why this was the event that she chose. 

Unfortunately the tea party that she found herself at had turned out to be thoroughly uninteresting. The event was being hosted by one society gentleman who was only memorable for his increasingly desperate efforts to be seen as even remotely relevant to high society and his abstinent refusal to recognise the hopelessness of the endeavour, mostly on account of his tremendous lack of charm or talent or likability in general. Evie for her part always found his continued efforts tremendously amusing and figured that as long as she were here she could at least have some fun at his expense, however this plan was somewhat foiled by how sheerly uninteresting her company turned out to be.

Evie was preparing to make her excuses to leave as someone walked through the door to the establishment and began making her way over to their table before stopping completely still as she locked eyes with Eveline. The two women remained frozen as their host made his way over to his new guest and began to make introductions though it didn’t seem to register until he reached Evie.

“… and finally this is-“

“I know who this is” interjected the Fading Music Hall Singer with barely restrained venom “we have been acquainted”

Evie was struggling to think of any response to what was happening yet all she could think of was her assistant’s insistence that she attend this event. She must have known the Singer would be here, oh that d--nable b---h, they were going to discuss exactly how she was assisting her when she got home.

The Singer seemed to compose herself first, turning to address their host “Well I’m afraid I must be on my way. Lovely seeing you all, we simply must get together some time”  
And with that she turned and left with their host stuttering in surprise in her wake. This seemed to Evie like a good precedent to follow; as such she stood and took a similar leave by ‘accidently’ spilling tea on her neighbour’s dress and implying that their host had acquired his attire from a passing beggar, she needed to get some fun from this after all.

Upon leaving the establishment Evie set herself after the Singer, who was walking at a pace that suggested that she was anxious to be somewhere else, what it didn’t suggest is that she wanted company.

“I was wondering if you’d care for some company” Evie announced as she pulled up beside her.

“I’m fine actually, I believe I can find my way home unassisted” The Singer replied, refusing to look directly at her.

“Nonsense, the streets can be ever so dangerous at this time for a lady walking unaccompanied” Evie didn’t think the fact that it was still midday and most likely very safe given the number of constables on patrol was relevant. “Besides it has been too long since we’ve seen each other, Darling. We simply must catch up more often.”

Judging by the rage that now came over her companion’s face this had been the wrong choice of words. 

“Really? Because I was under the impression that at our last meeting you had made our standing perfectly clear. I believe your exact words were that you’d ‘gotten everything you needed out of me’ and that ‘our acquaintance meant absolutely nothing to you’. Or did I misunderstand your meaning?”

Evie couldn’t quite figure out how to respond to this and while she was stunned the Singer began making her way into an unfamiliar house.

“I wasn’t aware you had changed address?” Evie said

“I haven’t. I’ve been staying here since Jasper and Frank have been harassing me at my home for the debt I owe them. The one you said that you would take care of if you remember” 

“I’m sorry” Evie couldn’t think of anything else to say.

The door was shut in her face.

......................................................................................................................

 

The Singer passed the next day trying to calm herself down and put the encounter with her old friend out of her mind, however she found that she couldn’t quite calm herself. Much later into the day she heard a loud knock on the front door and as her friend was absent she anxiously made her way to answer, hoping that it was her friend and that she’d be able to distract her from her anxiety. However as she opened the door she was greeted by the hulking form of Jasper and Frank’s cousin Lyme. She let out a shriek of surprise and covered her head in expectation of a blow from the large debt-collector.

“Hello. Miss Eveline asked me to tell you that you can go home and that you don’t have to worry about your debt anymore. Goodbye” The large man said kindly before walking off.  
When the Singer looked up to the retreating man she caught sight of the figure of Eveline standing across the street who gave a wave before turning and walking away.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time really writing stuff and putting it out for the world, so yeah.  
> Also this was done for an Assessment with a word limit so I might update it later with more wordy-things.  
> :)


End file.
